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Uber offers free round-trip rides to Tampa Bay area shelters ahead of Hurricane Ian

Jordan Kirkland

Uber is offering free round-trip rides to a list of state-approved evacuation shelters in preparation of Hurricane Ian.

In a Tuesday news release, Uber announced that it is offering the discounted rides to Gulf Coast residents who are evacuating ahead of Hurricane Ian making landfall. Residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Pasco, Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota counties will be able to use the promotional code “IANRELIEF” to take up to $30 off the ride each way.

“We’re proud to partner with state and local officials to provide free and discounted rides to Floridians in Southwest Florida seeking shelter,” said Uber Public Policy Manager Giovanni Castro. “We’ll continue to work closely with officials around our operations over the coming hours as we get more information about the storm.”

Hurricane Ian strengthened into a Category 3 storm Tuesday morning before slamming into western Cuba, causing mass evacuations, power outages, and severe floods.

As of 4 p.m., Ian was 250 miles south of Sarasota, driving sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm was moving north at 10 mph.

It is forecast to be a major hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida on Wednesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At least 2.5 million Floridians are currently under some type of evacuation order as the Sunshine State braces for Hurricane Ian.

President Joe Biden noted that FEMA has already deployed 700 personnel to Florida, with 5,000 Florida National Guard troops and 2,000 National Guard troops from other states also at the ready for assistance.